Search engines decide what content to put on the Search Engines Results Page (SERP) with an algorithm, which is basically a set of rules run by a computer that comes up with an answer. The specific rules (or factors) used, and in what sequence they are run, is not revealed by search engine companies, but – based on research by experts in this area – lists of potential top-ranking factors have been developed.
Of the over 200 ranking factors identified to date, the following are currently considered to be some of the most important:
All factors are essentially evaluated against other sites competing to rank for the same search query.
Search engines are constantly adapting, trying to bring the most appropriate and relevant content to a searcher. Almost every day, Google releases one or more changes to their search engine algorithm to improve their results, and each year they release several broad core (or significant) algorithm updates, all to better understand your content and meet the needs of users.
If you aim to meet the needs of your customers with a great online user-experience and valuable content, you are most likely meeting the needs of search engines.
Search Engine Optimization is comprised of 3 components:
Technical SEO refers to improving the technical aspects of a website. Identifying and fixing issues related to Technical SEO is beyond the capabilities of most small business owners, but most businesses will have someone who developed or manages their website who can help.
Indexation: You want your site to be added to a search engine’s index. Checking to see what pages of your site are indexed is easy. Type “site:yourdomain.com” (replacing “yourdomain.com” with your own domain) into Google and look at the results. You should see all of the pages you want indexed in the results. If there are pages missing, or some that should not be there, let your web developer know.
Secure Websites: Google gives preference to websites that are secure, meaning that the information from the website is transferred to the visitor securely. This is particularly important for information that may be added to forms such as contact forms, order forms or reservation requests. To check if your website is secure, go to your website and if the URL starts with “https://”, your site is secure. If it doesn’t, contact your website developer to increase your site security (There may be a cost).
Avoid Duplicate Content: Search engines do not like duplicate content. One way duplication can creep into a website is if the pages on the site all work with different URL prefixes (e.g. https://www.hellobc.com/plan-your-trip/about-bc/). Try typing in different variations of the URL for your site into your browser. All variations should redirect to just one of the variations.
Mobile-Friendly Websites: Google has started to base their ranking results on the content they find on the mobile version of your website, so your site needs to be optimized for mobile devices. These days, most sites are automatically built to be mobile-friendly. To check if your site is mobile-friendly, go to https://search.google.com/test/mobilefriendly and enter your website’s address. If the results say your website is not mobile-friendly, talk to your web developer to find out what to do next.
Fast-Loading Websites: Page speed is a ranking signal, so it is important to ensure that your site is as fast as possible, particularly for visitors using mobile devices. To test the speed of your site on a mobile device, visit the following page and enter your website’s URL: https://testmysite.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-us
Meeting the needs of prospective customers means understanding what Google calls “moments”, which define how and what people look for during the process of purchasing products or services. For travel-related products and services, these moments are defined as:
At each stage, people search for different types of content (e.g. text, images, or videos) on different search engines, platforms, sites, or apps.
Your content should:
All content, on every page of your site, should have a clear purpose and be written for your target audience. If it does, you are well on your way to meeting the needs of search engines, as they aim to show the most relevant, high-quality content to searchers.
Well-written, well-organized content helps users have a great on-site experience, and it also helps search engines interpret the meaning of the content. Ways of improving organization of your content include:
Content should be written for users, not search engines!
The following elements of a web page can affect how your site ranks, and if the result is clicked on when it appears in the rankings:
Each of these elements send signals to search engines, and collectively, they help search engines understand what the content on the page is about, how should be indexed, and if and when it will be retrieved when a searcher types in a search query.
When a page is surfaced in search results, it is typically the page title and meta description, along with the URL that make up the result.
The search result is important because in many instances, it is the first—and possibly the last—opportunity to persuade a searcher to click on your search result rather than that of a competitor. In other words, your search result needs to be compelling and persuasive when surrounded by other results and competing for attention, while also setting realistic expectations of what will be found when it is clicked.
Make sure your title and meta description reflect the content on the page. If they do not accurately reflect what the searcher will find when they click through to your site, it can negatively impact how your page ranks in the future.
Title Tags
A title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a web page, and it is displayed on a SERP as the clickable headline for a given result. It is also visible when the page is shared on social networks, at the top of the browser window, and as the title of the page if the page is added to a user’s favorites. The title tag of a web page should be an accurate and concise description of a page’s content.
Title Best Practices:
Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions are HTML attributes that provide concise explanations of your page content. While not as important to search engine rankings as the Title Tag, they are extremely important in enticing your audience to click through from the search results, as they often show up in search results under the title of your page. Write meta descriptions for the searcher, to entice them to click on your site over a competing search result.
Note: Search results will sometimes show content from other parts of the page rather than your meta description, if it determines that the other content better matches a search query.
Meta Description Best Practices:
Off-page SEO refers to actions taken outside of your own website to impact your rankings within search engine results pages (SERPs). These are tactics that don’t involve updating or publishing content to your website.
Building backlinks is at the heart of off-page SEO. Backlinks, or inbound links, are links from one website to a page on another website. Think of them as votes from other websites, each telling search engines: “This content is valuable, credible and useful”. Pages with a high number of backlinks tend to have high organic search engine rankings.
Not all backlinks are created equal. It’s important when linking to other websites from yours that those links go to trusted, authoritative websites, and that the site you are linking to is related to yours. Don’t throw in a link to a Harvard article in your next blog post, simply to try and squeeze in a high authority backlink if the article has nothing to do with your blog topic—Google wants to see that both sites are related.
At the same time, if your website is linked to by another site in good standing with Google, this tells Google that your content is relevant as well as educational, authoritative and trustworthy (EAT), leading to a ranking boost. There are various ways to increase backlinks to your website:
A “local search” is one that includes terms that indicate a geographic location, such as “campgrounds near me” or “campgrounds in Kelowna BC”. Local SEO refers to optimizing your online presence so that your business appears when a relevant local search is performed.
Google’s algorithm reviews its index to determine what to present on Google maps, in the Local Pack below the map, and in the regular results. Google Maps is a top source of web traffic and impressions for many businesses and is Google’s most important product after Search.
A Google Business Profile listing provides information that Google uses in various places across search results, including Google Maps. This makes having a Google My Business listing important to every business that wants to be competitive in the marketplace.
Additionally, ensure that your Name, Address and Phone Number (NAP) is clear and accurate on your website, in your reviews, and social mentions, as well as on any other websites where your business is mentioned.
In summary, search engines are constantly adapting to improve their results, but their goal is always the same – to deliver the most relevant content to a searcher. There are multiple elements that make up SEO; knowing what they are and how they work is key to understanding the factors that influence where your pages rank on search engines. By focusing on the top ranking factors identified to date, the following are currently considered to be some of the most important mentioned above, you will have increased your chances of showing up through search engines when and where your prospective customers are looking for you.
Subscribe to our newsletter